Department for Work and Pensions

Extending support in Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit

baroness buscombe: My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (The Rt. Hon.Esther McVey MP) has made the following Written Statement.I can today announce that we will extend the existing support within Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit for children who would otherwise be likely to be in local authority care, including children who are adopted or looked after by non-parental carers, also known as ‘kinship’ carers.The policy to provide support in Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit for a maximum of two children ensures parents in receipt of benefits face the same choices as those supporting themselves solely through work.We recognise that not all parents are able to make the same choices about the number of children in their family. That is why exceptions have been put in place to protect certain groups. Exceptions apply to third and subsequent children who are part of a multiple birth; adopted or in non-parental caring arrangements when they would otherwise be in local authority care; or likely to have been born as a result of non-consensual conception.For children who would otherwise be likely to be in local authority care, these exceptions will be applied regardless of the order in which they joined a household.The Government recognises the immense value of the care that non-parental carers and adoptive parents provide. The role that those parents and carers play in helping to bring children up who could otherwise find themselves in local authority care is vital. It is for this reason that we are ensuring that they are supported by enabling them to access benefit entitlement in the same way as birth parents.Since becoming Secretary of State, I have been reviewing this issue carefully to ensure that the exceptions, as they apply to non-parental carers and adoptive parents, provide the right level of support.Last week, I welcomed the High Court ruling that the policy to provide support for a maximum of two children was lawful overall. I have considered the part of the judgment that pertains to non-parental carers alongside internal reviews that the Department for Work and Pensions carried out in parallel to the legal case, and I consider that it is right that this change should be extended, not just to those in non-parental caring arrangements, but also to include children who are adopted who would otherwise be in local authority care.This change will reassure those non-parental carers and parents who adopt and are eligible for this child support, that it will be available to them regardless of the order in which their children joined the household.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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Treasury

ECOFIN: 27-28 April 2018

lord bates: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Philip Hammond) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.An informal meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) will be held in Sofia on 27-28 April 2018. The Council will discuss the following:Working Lunch - Deepening of the Economic and Monetary UnionBased on a Presidency Issues note, the Council will exchange views on the ECOFIN Council Roadmap of June 2016 on completing the Banking Union. This will be followed by an update from the Eurogroup President on reform of the European Stability Mechanism.Working Session IThe Council will then be joined by Central Bank Governors for the first Working Session. a) Convergence in the EU – Inside and outside the Euro AreaFollowing a presentation from the Centre for European Policy Studies, the Council will discuss the possibilities to increase convergence in the EU among both euro area and non-euro area Member Statesb) Further reducing fragmentation within the Capital Markets Union Following a presentation from Bruegel on deepening of the Capital Markets Union, the Council will discuss measures to further reduce capital markets fragmentation.The Council will then be debriefed on the outcomes of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting on 19 – 20 April.Working Session II – Improving revenue collection and fighting tax fraud in the Single MarketThe Council will exchange views on improving revenue collection and fighting tax fraud in the Single Market.Working Session III – Corporate taxation and tax challenges of the digital economyFollowing the recent publication of Commission proposals regarding fair taxation of the digital economy, the Council will exchange views on the approach to corporate taxation in the Single Market and the tax challenges arising from digitalisation of the economy.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Memorandum of Analysis of English Votes for English Laws in relation to Government amendments tabled to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill for consideration at Report stage by the House of Commons

lord ahmad of wimbledon: My Right Honourable Friend, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Sir Alan Duncan), has made the following written Ministerial statement:I am pleased to announce the publication of our analysis of English Votes for English Laws in relation to Government amendments tabled to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill for consideration at Report stage.The English Votes for English Laws process applies to public bills in the House of Commons. To support the process, the Government has agreed that it will provide information to assist the Speaker in considering whether to certify that Bill or any of its provisions for the purposes of English Votes for English Laws. Bill provisions that relate exclusively to England or to England and Wales, and which have a subject matter within the legislative competence of one or more of the devolved legislatures, can be certified.The memorandum provides an assessment of Government amendments tabled to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill, for the purposes of English Votes for English Laws, ahead of its Report stage in the House of Commons. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s assessment is that the amendments do not change the territorial application of the Bill, for the purpose of Standing Order No. 83L of the Standing Orders of the House of Commons.This analysis reflects the position should all the Government amendments be accepted.The memorandum will be published on the Bill documents page of the Parliament website and I will place a copy in the library of the House.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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